Recently the Coeur d'Alene Press wrote an editorial regarding the valid needs for operational levies which I did agree with for the most part. In Post Falls, however, the voters are not just being asked to support an operational levy, but are being asked to fund a 20-year levy to build facilities.

For the following reasons I am asking voters to disapprove the proposed facilities levy. Recently, a well-known real estate agent within our community wrote an article about our school and the approach the district has taken to just fixing things here and there, a "Band-Aid" approach. I called the agent and found out that her views are pretty close to mine since we have grandchildren going to some of the schools mentioned below.

Frederick PostElementary School is over 60 years old and is clearly showing its age. It has two portable classrooms behind the school in clear view if you are traveling on Seltice. The kindergarten is being shared by the alternative high school students and parents such as the real estate agent believe this is not a good environment for the younger children. Under this levy, the district is proposing to install a new heating system and windows for this facility. It does not indicate we are going to remodel the school interior which I can only assume is not up-to-date or code. What other deferred maintenance has not been done?

Mullan Trail Elementary is a facility over 40 years old. Since I have a grandchild attending this school, I have visited it and can verify the interior looks like it is from the '60s. This school is supposed to get new windows as well as new heating. This was first a high school and then a junior high before now being an elementary school. This school, as well as Frederick Post, has asbestos inside. There is moss growing on the outside of the building and really lacks curb appeal. I wonder what other deferred maintenance has been put off for this school too.

Then we have another older school - Seltice Elementary. I have read blogs with teachers saying children in this school have had to wear coats and even gloves this year because the heat system is not working. No children we send to school should have to sit in classrooms with inadequate heat. How do we expect them to learn under such conditions? There are other issues with this school similar to the ones above. Some parents do not like the open concept this school has - noise is a major factor. This school is nearly 30 years old itself.

I encourage voters to drive by each one of these schools and decide if they present a negative image for the community at large.

You may ask why our district has allowed our schools to become in such state of disrepair. I believe the district has failed to maintain a well-funded capital building fund using dollars collected from taxpayers and lottery money received before the economy downturn we experienced. Every homeowner knows items such as heating/air conditioning, paint, carpeting, flooring, etc. require periodic maintenance, and will need either a major overhaul or replacement eventually. With all the talk about energy conservation for the last 15-20 years, why is it only now they are talking about replacing windows 50 or 60 years old? Did they miss grants or rebates which could have partially paid for them before?

But the problem is not just about setting money aside for such repairs. The district has been focusing on building and adding on to three schools since 2004. In the 2006 levy, voters approved an addition to the high school for eight additional classrooms. Now, the district is coming back for a performing arts theater and an auxiliary gym instead of asking for it in 2006. In talking to the superintendent, he stated they did not ask for the theater then because they knew voters would not support it. So, now they are adding it to the building of a new elementary school in hopes they can get it approved this time. While I understand that they want a theater, with so many of our elementary schools needing upgrades, I don't feel this is the time to fund it. I believe they do not want to put a bond for only the theater because they know it will fail. As for the gym, my feeling is that if this is to be used for community events such as city parks and recreation, then we should get some financial assistance from them in order to build it.

Then we are back to adding on two classrooms to a newly built school at West Ridge Elementary and a new upper level at River City Middle School built in 2004. The district claims that River City has outgrown its facility and has portable classrooms. But Post Falls Middle School and the former high school have more portable classrooms and again, Post Falls Middle School is showing its age.

Now, the district has told me they are looking into a smaller remodel of Mullan Trail. That would be a great start; however, we have at least two other elementary schools and a middle school that need some sort of remodeling and currently there is no plan to do so. If we were not to spend over $4 million on a theater and gym, we could remodel those schools.

Many will say that it comes down to dollars. But like city taxes, Post Falls School District has a larger levy rate than Coeur d'Alene. While the district keeps assuring us they will not be increasing taxes, with all the building, our rates should go down. However, they just raise the levy amounts. There is no guarantee that your rate will stay the same. Coeur d'Alene has many more schools than Post Falls, but many of the older schools, i.e., Winton and Ramsey Elementary, have been remodeled. I urge all taxpayers to drive by Ramsey on Kathleen and see how nice it looks now.

So, I urge my fellow voters to say no to this levy. Have the district come back to us with a better proposal and get rid of the planning committee who is just focusing on the same three schools because that is what district leadership is wanting or suggesting. The district has failed to take a vote and now The Landings subdivision will be voting in May to leave the Post Falls School District. This will remove over $45 million in property assessment from our district.

In talking to the real estate agent, the district can come back to us in May with another plan which should include remodeling the elementary schools, relocate the alternative high school to another location, and add one new school or two smaller schools for future growth. If they make changes so the environment for our children is to learn instead of nice to have facilities, I can get behind it and support its passage.

Gary Nystrom is a Post Falls resident.